Aurora, IL Air Quality in 2023

In 2023, Aurora's air quality (Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI area) had a median daily AQI of 60 (Moderate) across 365 monitored days. 43 days (11.8%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse, 76 were Good, and the year's peak AQI was 246 (Very Unhealthy). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) set the daily AQI on 247 of those days. The cleanest month of 2023 was February (median AQI 54, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 106, 18 days above 100, peak 246).

60
Median AQI
Moderate
43
Days above AQI 100
11.8% of 365 days
105
90th percentile AQI
worst 1 day in 10
246
Peak AQI
Very Unhealthy
PM2.5
Main pollutant
247 of 365 days
76
Good days
20.8% of days
  • Good: 20.8%
  • Moderate: 67.4%
  • Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups: 9.0%
  • Unhealthy or worse: 2.7%

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QUICK ANSWER

How was Aurora's air quality in 2023?

Moderate on a typical day: median AQI 60, with 43 days above AQI 100 out of 365 monitored — the 7th cleanest of 7 years on record for the area.

  • Peak AQI in 2023: 246 (Very Unhealthy).
  • Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was the main pollutant on 247 days.
  • Cleanest month: February; worst: June.

Frequently asked questions

What was the average AQI in Aurora in 2023?

EPA's Air Quality System puts Aurora's (Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI) median daily AQI for 2023 at 60, which is Moderate. 43 days were Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse and the year's highest AQI was 246.

Which month had the worst air quality in Aurora in 2023?

The cleanest month of 2023 was February (median AQI 54, 0 days above 100) and the worst was June (median 106, 18 days above 100, peak 246).

Was 2023 a good or bad year for Aurora's air?

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2023 ranks 7th cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the worst year on record here. 2023's median of 60 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 60.

Aurora month by month in 2023

Aurora air quality month by month, 2023 (Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI, EPA AQS daily AQI)

MonthDays monitoredMedian AQIDays above 100Peak AQIMain pollutant
January3158084PM2.5
Februarycleanest2854076PM2.5
March3154082PM2.5
April30591143PM2.5
May31777140O3
Juneworst3010618246O3
July317410192O3
August31705166PM2.5
September3057087PM2.5
October31551101PM2.5
November3055082PM2.5
December31551125PM2.5

How 2023 compares

Among the 7 years EPA has published for the area (2019–2025), 2023 ranks 7th cleanest by days above AQI 100 — the worst year on record here.

2023's median of 60 is in line with the area's typical annual median of 60.

Activity-specific thresholds: running, cycling, kids' sports.

Right now in Aurora

The latest EPA AirNow observation puts Aurora's AQI at 36 (PM2.5). The figures above are multi-year annual statistics, not today's reading.

View current Aurora air quality →

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) pre-generated Daily AQI by CBSA files — daily AQI by CBSA (Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI), 2019–2025. Daily AQI per CBSA is the highest AQI reported by any monitor in the area that day; the defining parameter is the pollutant that set it. Month and season statistics pool every such day in the period across all years listed. Retrieved 2026-09-09.